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How To Survive The 8, 9, or 10 Month Old Baby Sleep Regression

It is very common for your 8, 9, or 10 month old to have sleep problems, not sleeping at night or taking short naps. Maybe the sleep problems are new after your baby was sleeping through the night or maybe you feel like you never quite recovered from the 4 month sleep regression. This article will discuss what exactly is happening with your 8, 9, or 10 month old baby.

When Does The 8 Month Sleep Regression Happen? What About the 9 Month Sleep Regression or the 10 month?

The reason I keep saying 8, 9, or 10 month old is because this particular sleep regression can happen at any of these ages, unfortunately. While many people tend to notice the 4-month sleep regression almost exactly at 3 1/2 to 4 months, the next sleep regression varies a bit more.

How long does the 8 month sleep regression last?

This fussy period will often last for around 4 weeks, but it’s quite common for this and most regressions to last 3 to 6 weeks, which is why we often hear about 9 month olds and 10 month olds also waking at night or taking short naps or, if you’re “lucky”, both. I know all too well how 6 weeks can feel like an eternity, when you aren’t sleeping! With the 4-month sleep regression, your baby permanently changed how exactly she sleeps. The 8 month sleep regressionisn’t a permanent change to how your baby sleeps.

Why does the 8 month sleep regression happen?

For the most part, the 8 month sleep regression is due to a lot of brain development. Your baby may be crawling, scooting, sitting up, pulling up, cruising, and so on. Your baby is also continuing to absorb your language and beginning to put things into categories, such as learning something is a cat, regardless of color or size. On top of the developmental milestones, many babies are also getting their first teeth or more teeth (it felt like, to me, your baby teethes for what feels like a constant two years).

8, 9, and 10 Month Old Sleep Needs

Your 8, 9, or 10 month old will still need 11-12 hours of sleep at night and 2-3 hours during the day, but as with all developmental milestones, night sleep can be disrupted while your baby is going through this developmental leap. Either they are too busy practicing their new skills (either by choice or impulsively) or their brain is just too wired to settle down. Ever have a big meeting, graduation, wedding, or event the next day and can’t sleep? You can relate.

Your 8 or 9 month old is also likely going through a nap transition and losing the third catnap (if he had it at all). As with most nap transitions, this makes your baby overtired and often even fussier than usual during this sleep regression. Finding a new age-appropriate baby nap schedule can be even more challenging during this sleep regression not only because of the nap transition but also due to the fact that the sleep regression can disrupt naps just like night sleep. Is he not napping because you are trying naps at the wrong time or is it because he is too busy practicing his new skill? Doubts can mount during this time and you might lose confidence in your parenting ability. Your baby might be clingier and fussier because she’s tired and these new changes can make her feel more insecure. Have no fear, there is likely nothing wrong with your parenting or your baby!

What to do about the 8 month sleep regression that can last through 9 months and finish at 10 months?

Do you do nothing because it’s a phase? Do you do gentle sleep training? Do you let your baby cry it out? What do you do about your baby’s sleep during this sleep regression?

As usual, my answer is very practical. I do not agree with doing nothing nor being hard-core. My philosophy is that you don’t want to make or continue long-term habits for a short-term phase. There is a middle ground. If your baby is waking 3-10 times per night, for example, that is still usually excessive even during a sleep regression. That is not good for you and, most importantly, not good for your 8, 9, or 10 month old baby. When your baby can’t sleep for two hours at 1 a.m. due to uncontrollable standing in the crib, do you let her scream for two hours every night? No, that is not my philosophy, either.

Tips to help you and your baby get through this sleep regression

Don’t assume everything is due to the 8 month sleep regression – If your baby had sleep problems at 5 months, 6 months, or 7 months, then it’s unlikely that it’s this sleep regression at the root of your sleep problems, now. You likely have a lingering problem that needs to be addressed.

Don’t assume everything is teething – See above.

If sleep problems are new to you, be careful about making a new long-term habit such as co-sleeping, if that’s not what you want. As I mentioned above, this could be as short as a 3-week phase, but new habits or routines can last for months, or even years. Consistency is still important.

Be patient – Your baby will only go through this particular developmental leap once (thankfully), so try to help her through it as best you can. Keep in mind that we can’t always remove our baby’s discomfort, but we can be there for support.

Offer support to your 8 month old, 9 month old, or 10 month old, but try to continue with your sleep coaching as much as feels right to you. That means offer extra support just like you may help your baby solve a puzzle, but do let her do some of it on her own, so she can continue learning.

If you never did cry it out before, this is probably not the time to try it. Instead, I recommend gentler sleep coaching techniques to lay the foundation and, then, once the regression is over, your baby will likely sleep well. If not, you may want to consider more sleep training.

How do you know when the 8 month sleep regression is over?

Well, you don’t really. If you have developed some new sleep habits you’re not fond of, you may need to change those habits. Keep in mind that we have the wisdom your 8 month old baby may not have. It’s one thing for the entire family to lose sleep for one week, but week after week it’s not healthy for anyone. I work with families every day who start sleep coaching during this time period.

I hope this post gives you a glimpse of what your 8, 9, or 10 month old is going through. I still believe that a baby can learn how to sleep better during this time, but keep in mind it might not be perfect, and that is okay. You can still start to lay the foundation, create new routines, and build confidence in her abilities. Getting more sleep will help her cope with the changes and likely help with any additional fussiness, too. If she can’t nap well, but she’s sleeping well at night, that will help bridge the gap. The vice versa is also true if she’s having trouble sleeping at night, but napping better. Adding more sleep deprivation will usually only make this phase more difficult for all of you, so I don’t always recommend waiting it out, if it’s been months of sleep deprivation leading up to this point and can possibly be 6 more weeks and beyond (there is always something). I get e-mails every day from parents of babies of all ages and some parents of toddlers are still “waiting it out.” Just like it’s never a perfect time, usually, to have a baby, it’s sometimes never a perfect time to make a change in sleep habits.

8 Month Sleep Regression Case Study

Want more information about how to help your 8 month old sleep well? Check out our detailed case study about Carrie, Ben, and their 8 month old Elliot.

Read how they helped Elliot sleep through the night and take better naps – and how they helped to change those sleep associations that were keeping him awake! Just join our Members Area, and access the case study instantly. And that’s not all – our Members Area is packed with additional premium content and resources: e-Books, assessments, more case studies, live chats with a sleep consultant, and more. It actually costs less to join than buying products separately! And best of all, members receive 20% of all consultation services – that savings alone can actually pay for the cost of the membership!

For more guidance on handling the 8-10 month sleep regression, check out our special members-only resources in our Member’s Area:

How are you surviving the 8 month old sleep regression?

Struggling with your baby’s sleep? We can help. We have helped thousands of families around the world with their babies' sleep problems, and we can help you, too! Take a look at our consultation packages, and see which one looks like a good fit for you.

Once you purchase, you will immediately receive access to the Helpdesk, and you can set up your account, fill out your family's sleep history survey, submit it to a sleep consultant, and get started on the journey to better sleep!

Need Baby and Toddler Sleep Help? We Have the Resources You Need!

For those persistent nighttime struggles, check out The 3 Step System to Help Your Baby Sleep. Using the same unique approach and practical tools for success, this e-book helps you and your baby sleep through the night.

Or, join our Members Area packed with exclusive content and resources: e-Books, assessments, detailed case studies, expert advice, peer support, and more. It actually costs less to join than buying products separately! As a member, you’ll also enjoy a weekly chat with an expert sleep consultant. And the best part – members receive 20% off all sleep consultation services!

Reader Interactions

Comments

Megansays

Baby #2 has been a decent sleeper since he was 9 weeks old and was sleeping 9 hour stretches. Of course the 4 month regression got us, but we got past it and he was waking up only once between 7p-7a around 3-4 a.m.

He’s almost 9 months old and a few nights ago was up like FOUR times! He would not go back to sleep without nursing, which I just gave in and let him because ZZZZZZZZ we have a toddler and I just need some rest. I went with what was easiest!

The past two nights, the waking has gotten less. I was very close to calling the doctor because I was convinced he has an ear infection, but now I think it’s just developmental or possibly teething because he has his top and bottom front teeth but it’s been a while since any new ones have come in — so we are due for more!

Anyway… this is for all the parents who are doubting themselves. Just hang in there and get through this. Our kiddo is pretty easy going at bedtime. I can lay him down fully awake and he puts himself to sleep. He has been this way since a very young age, so that’s been helpful as far as bedtime goes. Night wakes, we just sort of work through when they become more frequent and it usually goes back to once a night after a week or two. I think once a night is pretty typical for a breastfed baby at 8.5 months & honestly it’s doable for us for now.

Hi @Megan – Thanks for writing with your encouraging words for other parents!! We hope that things continue to go well and any new speedbumps that you experience, due to the 8, 9, or 10 month old sleep regression, teething, or anything else are short lived and easy to get through! Good luck and thanks again!

My 8 month old baby is waking up after every hour. She sleeps in her baby cot next to our bed. Sometimes she demands a feed and sometimes she goes back to sleep patting her in my arms. Put she refuses to sleep if I pat her in her cot without picking her up. My daughter slept through the night (11pm – 6 am) from 2 to 5 months and once sleep regression hit us, she keeps getting up after every 2 hours. I am exhausted as I have also resumed work now. Please help I don know what to do to make this situation better

Hi @Shohini – Sorry to hear that your little one is waking so often! That is SO tough!!! It sounds like you are ready for some help in teaching your 8 month old to learn to fall asleep on her own! We can definitely help with this! Check out our one on one consultation packages here:http://babysleepsite.com/baby-toddler-sleep-consulting-services
And please contact us if you have any questions!

Hello. My recently turned 10 months old baby has been refusing to take his second nap since he was 9 months 2 weeks. He just keeps babbling to himself or just rocking in the crib. Or some days, he may nap, after being awake for 49 minutes. I have been consistent with the time and done the same thing, he just wouldn’t take the nap. What can I do. He needs his nap

Hi Kemi,
Thank you for your comment and for visiting The Baby Sleep Site! I’m sorry to hear you’re struggling with your 10 month-old’s sleep. You could be dealing with the 10 month regression, which can be a difficult time, but is temporary, usually only last 2-4 weeks. However, the nap refusal could also be a scheduling issue, depending on when you’re trying to nap him. We have a sample 10 month-old schedule here you can compare with yours: https://www.babysleepsite.com/schedules/10-month-old-schedule/
I hope this helps, but if you need more resources, please do email us at contact@babysleepsite.com!

Hi all, I read a lot about why babies start waking up after every few hours at night, as my nights were getting exhausting when my baby started doing this at 9/10 months.

I then realized that I wake up if I am hungry at night- and so does my baby! This probably happens because they are growing so much, and the food that was enough to last them 5 hours at night in the previous months is just not enough anymore

I decided to try to feed her proper meals at night so that she’s full. Guess what, it worked!! Now she wakes up only once or twice for a feed.

This is in no way a medical advise. This is a person opinion and trial that worked. I wanted to share my experience which might be helpful for many new mums.

Hi there!
I have a 2 year old and a 7 month old that still sleeps in our room in a cradle. We would love to transition him to a crib in his big brothers room, but are worried big brother might be harmful (with good intentions). So for now our only option is to have my 7month old in the room with us.
He used to sleep very well (9/10 hour stretches) and recently he has been waking up 2-3 times every night and won’t go back to sleep with out being fed. I don’t mind feeding him once per night, but 2/3 times seems excessive! We haven’t tried crying it out with him because it seems impossible when I’m 6 feet away and he can see/smell/hear me.
Not really sure what to do. Should we get a video monitor and just try putting him in his big brothers room? Should I let him cry it out in the same room as us? I’m worried I’m setting him (and myself!) up for bad sleep habits in the future.

Hi @Amy – Thank you for writing! Sorry to hear that your 7 month old has been waking up to three times for a feed! You are free to work on slowly weaning a night feed or two as you work on feeding him more in the daytime to compensate. Whether you do this while in your room or after you move him in with his brother is up to you! Many families have done it both ways. A video monitor will certainly help you feel better with knowing exactly what is going on in their room, or you could even move your toddler out temporarily while you help the 7 year old learn to sleep in their soon to be shared room. We also help families that room share, and still can work on teaching your little guy while in the same room with a room divider or just a make-shift curtain, if you are trying to not be in view. White noise can help in any of these situations too!
If you would like help creating a specific plan, and help sticking with it, please contact us or consider a one on one consultation package with one of our awesome consultants! You can read about all of our sleep consultation packages here: https://babysleepsite.com/services
Hang in there Amy!

Thank you so much for the helpful insight! This is my first baby and I wasn’t aware of sleep regression at this age. My (almost) 10 month old has begun waking at night, and ruling all else out I am certain that she is simply going through this phase. Thankyou again, your article was of the upmost help! I thought I was doing something wrong!

@Jessica, we are so glad the article was helpful! I hope this passes for you quickly and things are back on track soon!

Zhilamo Mahmoodisays

Hi there. My 8 1/2 month old baby has been different for the 2 last weeks. I put him to bed 8 o clock every night and he wakes up after 40 minutes to 1 hour. After that he won’t let me lay him down in his own bed. He cries and cries and cries. The only thing that calms him down is to put him in our bed and sleep with him.
Before this he woked up after I put him to bed in the night, but then i breastfeed him and after, i put him in his own bed without any difficulty.

Hi @Zhilamo – Thank you for visiting our blog! I am sorry to hear that sleep has become a struggle for your 8 1/2 month old! As you have read in our 8, 9, or 10 Month Old Baby Sleep Regression article, sleep can become quite a challenge at this age. If your baby was sleeping well previously, I would suspect developmental changes such as described in this regression, disrupting his sleep. Hopefully this is just a phase and he can easily return to his usual sleep schedule! If things do not smooth out, or if you wish to work on helping him sleep in his own bed again, we can definitely help! Hang in there, and contact us if you would like more help. You can also read about all of our sleep consultation packages here: https://babysleepsite.com/services
Good luck Zhilamo!

My 9month baby is not sleeping at night for long hours its like something is distributing her that she keeps on waking up every 3 to 4 times at night,she can stay long hours of not sleeping and sleeps for only 30minutes and wakes up very early in the morning.

Hi @Gladys – Thank yo for writing and I am sorry that you are struggling with your daughters night wakings and short naps! As you’ve read in this 8,9, or 10 month sleep regression article, sleep problems are VERY common at this age. Hang in there!
As a place to start, here is a link to our sample 9 month schedule, to use as reference to be sure that she is sleeping at generally good times. https://www.babysleepsite.com/schedules/9-month-old-baby-schedule
We can definitely help with this issue, and if things do not smooth out and you would like additional help! I do believe you could benefit from one of our Sleep Consultation packages, where we will work with you on a detailed plan that you can commit to and feel good about.
You can read about all of our sleep consultation packages here: https://babysleepsite.com/services
Good luck Gladys and please contact us if you have any questions!

Hi! My almost 8 month old had RSV at 7 months, which lasted 2 weeks. On top of that he got 5 teeth in the last month. Before he got sick he was consistently sleeping 10-12 hours a night, and periodically waking at 3 or 4 am for a feeding. His older brother has been an excellent sleeper since 8 weeks sleeping 12 hours and never waking, so I was spoiled! So I’m at a loss right now. I’m working full time so trying to get him back on track. He was consistently waking 2 times a night, but now I think I’ve got him down to just once. How do I get him back to sleeping through the night again? He also shares a room with his two year old brother. When he wakes he doesn’t usually cry, but sucks thumb hard and makes loud noises. When I do go get him he’ll start trying to eat right away, does he really need to be eating or is he just used to it at this point?

Hi @Katie, thanks for writing to us. I’m glad your son is over RSV and is doing better now. I had a very similar situation to you with a perfect angel baby older boy, and then my second son gave me some more trouble after a long stretch of being super great like his big brother. (What is with the 2nd boy? 😉 ) Some babies do need one feeding a night through 9 months, or may even a year. (12 months was the case for my second no matter how hard I tried.) I’m sure that’s not the answer you were hoping for, but you may hold off trying to wean him from that night feeding for another month or so, then try again. Hopefully he will go back to his old habits soon but he may just need a little top off with all the teething and growing, also likely extra movement and energy he’s exerting through the day. I hope things pass quickly!

Hi there,, my 8 1/2 month old has never slept through,, at around 4-6 months she was only waking up twice for a bottle and would sleep maybe 6 hours before waking. She would cat nap through the day and have 4 1/2hr or 45 min naps in a day.
But now she is waking several times during the night and having 2 full bottles of 180-200mls each time, she is very unsettled, sometimes she can put herself back to sleep but mostly I’m going in to her room and resettling her.
Would this be the sleep regression, I’m lost and need advice, I hear of all these babies sleeping through the night and I’ve never experienced that.

Hi @Jodie, I’m so sorry to hear you’ve been struggling with your daughter’s night time sleep. I know it’s especially hard as a mom to not compared everything to other parents and babies (that is one of my biggest struggles as a mom!) but try not to be discouraged just because other kids are doing it. At 8 1/2 months old many babies can sleep through the night, while others need 1 feeding at night through a year. We have a free guide available to help provide tips to get your baby sleeping through the night (or with the appropriate amount of night wakings) that you can download here: https://www.babysleepsite.com/sleep-through-night-free-ebook/
It will help you learn how to troubleshoot those wake ups. If you need more specific advise than the article provides, I’d suggest working with one of our incredible sleep consultants and they can give you specific advise for your baby and situation and will provide as much support as you need. To see the different options available please visit here: https://www.babysleepsite.com/baby-toddler-sleep-consulting-services/
or contact us directly at contact@babysleepsite.com at anytime and we will help you pick out the package that’s best for you. Hang in there! I hope this helps.

My 9 month year old just got finished with a cold she had. But for some reason now she will not sleep at night time anymore. Stays up all night till like 7am then finally passes out for a little bit then wakes up. N starts crawling n pulling herself up on everything.. she isn’t getting enough sleep at all. Tried letting her cry it out. Tried making her tired by playing around with her. She is getting maybe 6 or 7 hours of sleep but that’s Scattered through out the day.

My 9 month old takes 2 naps per day the first one an 1hr to 1hr and 30min and the second one from1hr 30min to 2hrs. She has always slept through the night but around 8 months she wakes up at around 1 or 3 and then at 6 or 7. Then she fully wakes up at 9-930am wanting milk. Is this sleep regression or maybe a long growth spurt growth spurt?

Hello @Julie –
Thank you for writing to us! It sounds like you have been working hard at getting your little girl to have great sleep habits, and this indeed could be due to the 8,9,10 sleep regression, but it has lasted a little long now for this regression or for a growth spurt. Is it possible she picked up some waking habits that she may need help with? One of our expert sleep consultants would love to take an in depth look at her sleep history and can help with 100% personalized and customized help for getting back on track. If you find that you would like more help, you can read about all of our sleep consultation packages here: https://babysleepsite.com/services/
Please contact us if you have any questions! : )

Hello. Thanks for your article!
My little 9month old boy has been a perfect sleeper. We normally say goodnight shut the door and he self settles for all naps… has been on routine since the start! All of a sudden he’s struggling getting to sleep. He’s tired he starts to drift off but it looks like he gets that “falling” feeling and wakes again; tosses and turns it’s a cycle. Once he’s asleep at night he’s still sleeps through. Would you consider this part of the developmental phase or something we need to look at?

Hi @Samantha, thanks for writing! I’m glad you have a great little sleeper over there. As you read there is a sleep regression that happens around this age so it’s possible that’s whats going on and it will hopefully pass soon. Of course if things persist and you need more help or have any concerns, let us (or your doctor if you are concerned of anything medical as we are not medical professionals) know and we’ll be happy to help!

Hello, my LO is 7.5 months and has never slept through the night since about 3/4 months! Things have got a lot worse in the past few weeks and some nights he will cry for a solid 2 hours. my husband has tried to go to him but he will not have anyone apart from me. typically he will wake at 2 and some nights i don’t get him back to sleep till 4/4.30. other nights he may wake every hour but will settle quickly and go back to sleep. he has no teeth in sight!
Please help me i am so exhausted. Is he too young for the 8 month sleep regression? He doesn’t sleep great in his day time naps either anymore.

Hi @Roseanne, thanks for writing to us. I am so sorry to hear you’ve been struggling with your son’s sleep. Here is a link to download a free guide with tips to help your baby sleep through the night: https://www.babysleepsite.com/sleep-through-night-free-ebook/
I will mention that 1 wake up at night would still be normal at this age, so if once you work through this you can’t seem to get a night without one wake up, that is ok, but hopefully he will drop it between 9-12 months sometime. If you need more specific help than the guide can provide, I think you would benefit from working one-on-one with one of our sleep consultants. To read about our personalized services you can visit here: https://www.babysleepsite.com/baby-toddler-sleep-consulting-services/ and you can of course email us directly at contact@babysleepsite.com if you have more questions and need more help. Hang in there!!

8 1/2 mo baby boy. we did cry it out and worked at abt 4 mo but now he can cry nonstop for 1 hour if I let him.

he always wakes up at 5am, so i try to put him down at 6, but thats when the crying starts. he takes 2-3 naps a day. how long do you advise I let him cry before going in for him? is this manipulation or regression? help pls

@Gabriela – Thank you for reading and for sharing. The 8 month sleep regression can definitely kick you in the you-know-where – it’s a tough one! Sometimes they are up not due to a lack of training but just because the CAN’T sleep due to all the activity going on inside of them. If he is working through the regression, this can go on for a few weeks. If he’s having issues due to a sleep association/sleep training issue, how long or at what intervals to let him cry before going in will be an entirely personal decision – what works for you and what feels right to you for him will guide you. If you need more one-on-one assistance, please consider connecting with one of our sleep consultants. You can read more about our lovely ladies, expert on baby and toddler sleep, here: http://www.babysleepsite.com/about We’d love to work with your family, Gabriela. Hang in there!